1. Field Of The Invention
This invention relates to apparatus and an associated method for inspecting containers in an automated sampling manner and, more specifically, with respect to glass containers effecting said inspection prior to entry of the container into the entry hot end of an annealing lehr.
2. Description Of The Prior Art
It has long been known to effect automated inspection of containers such as glass containers, for example, either on a continuous basis wherein each container is inspected or on a sampling basis wherein periodically container is removed in order to inspect for a group of properties which tend to be slow to change.
It has been known to measure the volume and shape of a glass gob which was intended to be employed in a glass forming machine. See U.S. Pat. No. 4,205,973.
It has also been known to fill the annealing lehr in such a manner that containers from each mold in the forming machine occupy a given column or columns in the lehr. See U.S. Pat. No. 4,004,904. This patent, however, discloses a system wherein identification of defective containers is made later in the process. This patent teaches a method of marking and disposing of said defective containers after the bottles have been annealed in the lehr.
It has also been known to reject bottles at the hot end of the line prior to their entering an annealing lehr. The human operator sets a control switch which instructs the reject control as to which bottles are to be discarded by the rejector. See U.S. Pat. No. 4,332,606.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,614,531 discloses a computer control system for operating a reject mechanism in a glassware forming machine as the glassware exits the mold section thereof. This system performs generally the same function as that disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,332,606, but employs different hardware.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,639,263 discloses a method for inspecting glassware during production and acquiring data therefrom. This patent discloses very limited inspection performed on every container produced. Reject devices are provided for eliminating defective products.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,800,226 also discloses a system for removing bottles from a conveyor line. It has also been known to have plant workers remove a container manually on a periodic basis for purposes of inspection.
In spite of the previously known systems, there remains a real and substantial need for improved apparatus and an associated method for effecting, on a sampling basis, inspection of containers prior to entry thereof into an annealing lehr in an automated and efficient manner.